By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Training resumption of national athletes will still push through as scheduled despite the sudden spike of active COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
Philippine Sports Commissioner Mon Fernandez said this Monday, adding that they are putting premium on the health and safety of the national athletes even though their training will be under a bubble-type setup.
Metro Manila is placed under Alert Level 3 starting Monday until Jan. 15 after active cases continue to rise since the holiday season.
Under this alert status, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases does not allow contact sports except those conducted under a bubble-type setup “as provided for under relevant guidelines adopted by the IATF, Games and Amusement Board, and PSC, and approved by the local government units.”
National athletes are expected to be back from training on Jan. 10 in preparation for a busy calendar year that includes the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in May.
Select PH teams could train at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, the Philsports Complex in Pasig City and the Baguio Training Camp “dependent on provision of many considerations for safety before final implementation.”
Athletes, coaches and officials who will be part of the training must also be fully vaccinated.
The PSC has been coordinating with the IATF, Pasig and Baguio City local government units to ensure that all safety measures are taken for the protection of the national team members.
The government sports agency is also evaluating other viable facilities that could be used for future training.